Capítulo 1

¹The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth,

¹作長老的寫信給蒙揀選的太太（或作：教會；下同），和他的兒女，就是我誠心所愛的；不但我愛，也是一切知道真理之人所愛的。

²for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:

²愛你們是為真理的緣故，這真理存在我們裡面，也必永遠與我們同在。

³Grace, mercy [and] peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

³恩惠，憐憫，平安從父神和他兒子耶穌基督在真理和愛心上必常與我們同在！

⁴I was very glad to find [some] of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment [to do] from the Father.

⁴我見你的兒女，有照我們從父所受之命令遵行真理的，就甚歡喜。

⁵Now I ask you, lady, not as though [I were] writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another.

⁵太太阿，我現在勸你，我們大家要彼此相愛。這並不是我寫一條新命令給你，乃是我們從起初所受的命令。

⁶And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

⁶我們若照他的命令行，這就是愛。你們從起初所聽見當行的，就是這命令。

⁷For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ [as] coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

⁷因為世上有許多迷惑人的出來，他們不認耶穌基督是成了肉身來的；這就是那迷惑人、敵基督的。

⁸Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.

⁸你們要小心，不要失去你們（有古卷：我們）所做的工，乃要得著滿足的賞賜。

⁹Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.

⁹凡越過基督的教訓、不常守著的，就沒有神；常守這教訓的，就有父又有子。

¹⁰If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into [your] house, and do not give him a greeting;

¹⁰若有人到你們那裡，不是傳這教訓，不要接他到家裡，也不要問他的安；

¹¹for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.

¹¹因為問他安的，就在他的惡行上有分。

¹²Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to [do so] with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full.

¹²我還有許多事要寫給你們，卻不願意用紙墨寫出來，但盼望到你們那裡，與你們當面談論，使你們的喜樂滿足。

¹³The children of your chosen sister greet you.

¹³你那蒙揀選之姊妹的兒女都問你安。